TXU Energy brings solar energy education to the classroom in the TXU Energy Solar Academy. TXU Energy provides a contribution to the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project to coordinate and deliver a solar education program that helps teachers meet the requirements of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), helps students and their families understand basic energy concepts and brings solar demonstration installations to local communities.
In 2008, the TXU Energy Solar Academy installed 10 photovoltaic (PV) systems in Texas school districts. In 2009, 15 school districts joined the TXU Energy Solar Academy. In 2010, another 8 school districts joined. These PV systems include software that monitors the electricity output of the system and displays the data on a website for students, their families, and community members to see the power of the sun.
In addition to the PV installations, the TXU Energy Solar Academy provides teacher training workshops that have reached over 2,000 teachers adding more teachers to the TXU Energy Solar Academy each year. Participating teachers receive TEKS aligned standards, professional development credit, and over $800 of classroom hands-on kits and materials. In order to not put a drain on school district budgets, substitute reimbursement is provided for participating teachers.
TXU Energy Solar Academy programs teach students about energy and electricity generation while introducing students to the power of the sun. TXU Energy and NEED came together to provide award-winning resources, the power of a local solar installation, and the high-quality teacher support and resources available from NEED. TXU Energy Solar Academy districts celebrate recently installed systems with TXU Energy Solarbrations.
